Introduction
When organizing data in Excel, many people use the convenient “Table” feature. Using a table automatically tidies up the appearance and makes setting filters and styles easy. However, when actually using it, there are times when you might feel, “I actually want to return this to a normal cell range.”
In this article, I will carefully explain how to remove an Excel table (convert it back to a normal range) in a way that is easy to understand for beginners.
What is the Difference Between a Table and a Normal Cell Range?
The Excel Table feature automatically sets “fixed headers,” “style application,” and “filter functions” for the selected data range.
Specific features include:
- Automatic design application: Colors and borders are applied automatically.
- Automatic expansion: The range automatically expands when new data is added.
- Filter function: Filters are available from the start.
- Structured references: You can use column names in formulas.
While convenient, some users may feel:
- They want to return to a standard cell range.
- Styles or automatic expansion are unnecessary.
- Complex formulas are difficult to handle with structured references.
In such cases, you can return to the original simple cell range by converting the table to a “Normal Range.”
Steps to Remove a Table
You can convert an Excel table back to a normal cell range using the following steps.
1. Select a cell within the table
Click on any cell inside the table you wish to convert.
2. Open the “Table Design” tab
The “Table Design” tab will appear in the ribbon at the top of the screen. Note: Depending on the version, this may be labeled simply as “Design.”
3. Click “Convert to Range”
Click the “Convert to Range” button located on the left side (or sometimes the “Tools” group) of the “Table Design” tab.
4. Select “Yes” in the confirmation message
A message saying “Do you want to convert the table to a normal range?” will appear. Click “Yes”.
This returns the table to a normal cell range. Note that the visual formatting (colors and borders) will remain, but the table functionality is removed. If necessary, you can clear the formatting using the method below.
Points to Note After Removing the Table
If you want to completely reset the styles and formatting after removing the table functionality, perform the following steps.
How to Clear Formats
- Select the target range.
- Go to the “Home” tab.
- In the “Editing” group, click “Clear”.
- Select “Clear Formats”.
This removes all decorations such as cell background colors, borders, and font colors. You can also make detailed setting changes from “Format Cells” in the right-click menu.
Summary
Excel tables are very convenient, but there are situations where you may want to return them to normal cell ranges depending on your needs. By remembering this “Convert to Range” procedure, you will be able to manage your data flexibly according to the situation. Please make use of this in your daily work and document creation.
